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Water wot has seeped


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The question is, with the stern gland operating properly, there is a very slight seepage of water, which I catch in a margerine tub that sits under the prop shaft. After a week or so there's half a litre of slightly greasy water to get rid of. But clearly, it can't be thrown in the cut - so what to do with it? Should I be hoarding it in a old bottle and taking it to the civic amenity site for proper disposal (like used oil), or is it OK to sprinkle it in the hedgerow? Thoughts invited...

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The question is, with the stern gland operating properly, there is a very slight seepage of water, which I catch in a margerine tub that sits under the prop shaft. After a week or so there's half a litre of slightly greasy water to get rid of. But clearly, it can't be thrown in the cut - so what to do with it? Should I be hoarding it in a old bottle and taking it to the civic amenity site for proper disposal (like used oil), or is it OK to sprinkle it in the hedgerow? Thoughts invited...

 

 

Well, one should not, (if the spirit of disposal regulations is observed) throw anything into the cut, or on land, (for it will enter the water table) of any harmful oils / chemicals (etc).

 

I would either do as you suggest, and treat it as oil and dispose of correctly at a civil amenity (or - they are not pleasant officials there - an uncivil amenity)

 

or . .

 

I would use a small quantity of an oil absorbent, remove the oil from the water, (put the water back into the cut, and the used absorbent in the civil / uncivil amenity)

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Probably at least 99% of the grease you put into the greaser, finds its way outwards into the canal. Why worry about the other 1%

My thoughts as well, although my bilge is fairly greasy from when the packing was last changed but it's a pig to get to the bottom of the bilge to clean it out. There was a company at Crick selling a biological solution for pouring/spraying into the bilge, but he said it does not work with synthetic grease. Not knowing what my greaser was last filled with as it was done by the boatyard I didn't buy any of their product.

 

The same company does however distribute the BIO-SOK Anybody tried it? Again, I assume it would not work with synthetic grease.

 

I have never yet had to run my bilge pump as the rate of drips is dealt with by evaporation. //Mike

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Probably at least 99% of the grease you put into the greaser, finds its way outwards into the canal. Why worry about the other 1%

 

I was just about to say the same thing but you have obviously beaten me to it. Has anybody looked through their weed hatch, when greasing the gland, to see how much generally comes out?

 

On the other hand, if you do have a slightly drippy stern gland, when you moor up, put the engine in tick over in gear, and grease the gland. What I find is that when boats are passing they turn your propellor slightly breaking the seal. If you grease whilst the prop is spinning it creates more of a seal less likely to be broken by this.

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I was just about to say the same thing but you have obviously beaten me to it. Has anybody looked through their weed hatch, when greasing the gland, to see how much generally comes out?

 

I would have assumed that any grease not coming back up through the threads of the greaser or coming back out on the dry side of the gland, must eventually find its way into the canal or river. Where else can it go?

Edited by blackrose
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I know this is possibly a stupid question; but, are you turning your stern tube greaser to stop the leak?

It's seepage, not a leak - just a very slight seepage showing that the stern gland is doing its job (see other threads)

 

 

 

Probably at least 99% of the grease you put into the greaser, finds its way outwards into the canal. Why worry about the other 1%

Excellent point - that hadn't occurred to me. I shall use kitchen towel to take the dollops of grease out, then bung the rest in the cut.

 

Thanks for all responses

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